EP0624258B1 - Microscopy system - Google Patents

Microscopy system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0624258B1
EP0624258B1 EP92914002A EP92914002A EP0624258B1 EP 0624258 B1 EP0624258 B1 EP 0624258B1 EP 92914002 A EP92914002 A EP 92914002A EP 92914002 A EP92914002 A EP 92914002A EP 0624258 B1 EP0624258 B1 EP 0624258B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
projection
magnification
lens
housing
video camera
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92914002A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0624258A4 (en
EP0624258A1 (en
Inventor
Robert W. Bradford
Gregory Donald Yent
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
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Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to AT92914002T priority Critical patent/ATE178415T1/de
Publication of EP0624258A4 publication Critical patent/EP0624258A4/en
Publication of EP0624258A1 publication Critical patent/EP0624258A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0624258B1 publication Critical patent/EP0624258B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G02B21/36—Microscopes arranged for photographic purposes or projection purposes or digital imaging or video purposes including associated control and data processing arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G02B21/06—Means for illuminating specimens

Definitions

  • the invention relates to microscopes and more specifically to a high magnification microscopy system with improved high resolution and depth-of-field at 6,000X magnification and greater.
  • the objective is to get three things, as good a resolution as possible, as much magnification as you can resolve, and the best depth of field as possible.
  • These objectives in the design of optical systems generally require compromises.
  • the depth of field is inversely proportional to the magnification. As the magnification gets higher the depth of field gets narrower. If the object being viewed is sufficiently small that you have to magnify it to the point your eye can see it, the depth of field gets so narrow that there is no contour to what you are looking at and it blurs since there is no depth of field.
  • magnification Due to the physics of optics, you can only get so much magnification if you want to maintain some sort of depth-of-field. It was determined that optimal magnification must be around 400X instead of 1000X. Therefore in order to gain the degree of required magnification necessary for visible analysis, it was determined that projection magnification could be used in conjunction with the initial optical magnification.
  • microscopy system as specified in claim 1.
  • a unique microscopy system has been designed by the applicants to combine a projection lens with the research microscope after it has received its optical magnification.
  • the extra magnification produced by the projection lens does not affect the depth of field as the beam spreads out.
  • the projected image is received by a video camera and it is moved either toward or away from the projection lens in order to vary the amount of magnification.
  • the resolution lens of the camera thus becomes a limitation. As better cameras and camera systems are developed, the resolution can be increased in the higher priced camera. It is important that the candle power required to illuminate the object has to be greater than what is presently used with research microscopes.
  • the best microscopes on the market today have approximately 80 watts of illumination. This is clearly insufficient when we are talking about magnification levels of 10,000X or greater.
  • the light source be in the order of 150 watts of light so that there is in the order of 100 candle power available by the time the object is being viewed.
  • the T.V. camera When the T.V. camera is used it also requires so many candle power of lumens in order to get full color out of the camera.
  • the system In order to be able to use cheaper projection lenses, the system has been designed to only use the central flat portion of the lens which is substantially of the same quality for expensive lens and cheaper lenses.
  • the projection lens positioned in the bottom end of the projection tube allows the light to come out at about a thirty degree angle, but the only portion concerned about is the center portion and the remainder is absorbed in the interior of the projection tube. Since the projected image is received on the camera lens the movement of the camera upwardly and downwardly in the projection tube will vary the magnification. When the camera is lowered to its lowest position, the magnification is that of the optical magnification system. When the camera is raised to its highest position, its magnification can go up as high as 12,000X with a 150 watt light source, but its depth of field remains unchanged between its lowest and highest positions since that has been determined entirely by the optical magnification, and not by the variable projection magnification.
  • the limitations and resolution relates to the light source that is used. The closer one comes to monochromatic or single wave length light the better the resolution will be. If higher magnification is required and better resolution necessary, it would simply be a matter of going to a laser type of light.
  • the novel microscopy system has been designed to combine an optical magnification portion and a variable projection magnification portion.
  • the optical magnification occurs through the objective magnification lenses that form the basic struucture of a research microscope.
  • the variable projection magnification is produced in the projection tube and by a moving camera connected to a video monitor.
  • a light source housing containing a high intensity light such as a 150 watt bulb has its light directed through fiberoptic cable into the base of the microscope with the front end of the fiberoptic cable being mounted in a collar having a condensing or collimating lens positioned in its top opening.
  • the light that passes through the condensing lens then travels upwardly through the specimen platform and the slide mounted thereon.
  • the image projected upwardly through the objective magnification lens is then passed to the projection lens at the top end of a tubular member attached to the optical housing of the research microscope.
  • the entire amount of optical magnification occurs up to and including the projection lens so that any further magnification beyond the projection lens does not affect the depth of field. As the image passes through the projection lens it is dispersed and magnified.
  • the T.V. camera can be made to move upwardly or downwardly thus varying the amount of projection magnification.
  • the variable projection system of the T.V. camera itself magnifies the image to the resulting size that is seen on the video monitor.
  • the video monitor can also be connected to a VCR or a video printer. It would also be possible to replace the T.V. camera in the projection tube with a photographic plate for capturing the projected image.
  • the prior art is limited by a finite number of magnification steps, a limited amount of available light for imaging, existing light sources damage samples with corresponding heat, limited depth of field, spherical aberations, close proximity of sample-to-objective lens distance, diffraction effects from finite sized lens elements, and field resolution from low quality lenses.
  • the objects and advantages of the novel microscopy system are: 1) continuously variable magnification for each objective lens allowing optimization for sample size, 2) a high intensity light source coupled by fiber optic cable provides sufficient light without damage to the sample, 3) constant depth of field for a variable magnification, 4) reduced spherical aberations by using only the flat center portion of the imaging and projection lens, 5) increased resolution with constant depth of field, 6) reduced diffraction effects by elimination of lenses, 7) objective lens to sample distance increased by allowing magnification to occur elsewhere (above projection lens), 8) projection length determined by shape of projection lens, 9) imaging medium provides additional magnification, 10) variable projection magnification is independent of type or nature of light source, and 11) variable projection magnification is independent of imaging medium.
  • the novel microscopy system is generally designated numeral 10 and it will be described by referring to Figures 1-3 of the drawings.
  • the major components of the microscopy system 10 are research microscope 12, light source housing 14, fiber optic cable 16, power unit 18, video monitor 20, VCR 22, and video printer 24.
  • Microscope 12 has a base 26, a post 27, an arm 28, and an optical housing 29. Viewing eye pieces 30 and a plurality of objective power magnification lenses 32 are connected to optical housing 29.
  • a collar 34 mounted on the top surface of base 26 has a condensing lens 35 mounted in its top end.
  • a specimen platform 37 has a slide 39 positioned thereon.
  • Projection housing or tube 40 is mounted on the top surface of optical housing 29.
  • Projection housing 40 has a tubular member 42 having a top cover plate 43 and a bottom plate 44.
  • An adapter collar 46 mounts variable projection housing 40 on the top end of optical housing 29.
  • Tubular sleeve 48 of microscope 12 passes upwardly through adapter collar 46 and it has a projection lens 50 mounted in the eyepiece of the microscope.
  • T.V. camera 52 is supported by camera backplate 53 that is attached to motor support block 54.
  • Electrical cable 55 connects camera 52 to video monitor 20.
  • Motor 56 is mounted on motor support rod 58 whose top end is journaled in top bearing rod support 60. Motor support rod 58 freely passes through an aligned bore hole in motor support block 54.
  • a bearing block 57 is also attached to camera backplate 53 and bearing block 57 has a bore hole that allows it to freely travel up and down the bottom end of motor support rod 58.
  • a pair of laterally spaced vertical support shafts 62 insure the alignment of motor 56 as it travels upwardly and downwardly along motor support rod 58.
  • Electrical cable 59 connects power unit 18 to motor 56.
  • Projection lens holddown plate 64 has an aperture through which projection image 66 passes and also bore holes that allows it to be raised and lowered on members 58 and 62.
  • Position indicator plate 68 has a LED support bracket 69 connected to its front end which has and LED 70 mounted therein.
  • position indicator plate 68 is secured to a transverse support plate 71 that has a pair of spaced bore holes that allows it to travel up and down the vertical support shafts that are located on both sides of said T.V. camera 52. As camera 52 travels upwardly and downwardly LED 70 is visible through vertical slot 72.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Microscoopes, Condenser (AREA)
EP92914002A 1992-01-29 1992-01-29 Microscopy system Expired - Lifetime EP0624258B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT92914002T ATE178415T1 (de) 1992-01-29 1992-01-29 Mikroskopsystem

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1992/000670 WO1993015428A1 (en) 1992-01-29 1992-01-29 Microscopy system
CA002117421A CA2117421C (en) 1992-01-29 1992-01-29 Microscopy system

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0624258A4 EP0624258A4 (en) 1994-08-31
EP0624258A1 EP0624258A1 (en) 1994-11-17
EP0624258B1 true EP0624258B1 (en) 1999-03-31

Family

ID=25677085

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92914002A Expired - Lifetime EP0624258B1 (en) 1992-01-29 1992-01-29 Microscopy system

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0624258B1 (pt)
JP (1) JP3123754B2 (pt)
KR (1) KR100299815B1 (pt)
CN (1) CN1030352C (pt)
BR (1) BR9207069A (pt)
CA (1) CA2117421C (pt)
DE (1) DE69228830T2 (pt)
MX (1) MX9205630A (pt)
WO (1) WO1993015428A1 (pt)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10136241A1 (de) * 2001-07-25 2003-02-13 Carla Degli Innocenti Vorrichtung zur Bildaufnahme mit einer Videokamera eines in einem Mikroskop projizierten Bildes
DE102009059274B4 (de) * 2009-12-22 2012-07-19 Max-Joseph Kraus Verfahren zur Messung der Dynamik der Änderungen von Blutplättchen
KR101032434B1 (ko) * 2011-03-18 2011-05-03 나노스코프시스템즈 (주) 리니어 터렛 스캐너
JP6041240B2 (ja) * 2013-01-22 2016-12-07 パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 照明用光源及び照明装置
US11085901B2 (en) * 2014-08-19 2021-08-10 Dan Slater Acoustical microscope
CN114675412B (zh) * 2022-04-26 2023-09-22 南京大学 一种基于偏振滤波的超构透镜集成成像器件及成像方法

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4720804A (en) * 1984-08-08 1988-01-19 Moore Sidney D Electrically addressable opto-electronic indicator for making dynamic evaluations of microscopic or larger subjects
JPS59172617A (ja) * 1983-03-22 1984-09-29 Olympus Optical Co Ltd 自動制御式照明光学系を備えた顕微鏡
US4651200A (en) * 1985-02-04 1987-03-17 National Biomedical Research Foundation Split-image, multi-power microscopic image display system and method
US4725720A (en) * 1985-05-27 1988-02-16 Mitutoyo Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Microscope with auto focus and light adjusting means
US4741043B1 (en) * 1985-11-04 1994-08-09 Cell Analysis Systems Inc Method of and apparatus for image analyses of biological specimens
US4911543A (en) * 1988-05-31 1990-03-27 Hodgson R W Microscope viewing apparatus for viewing a specimen image and an optical overlay pattern image in a comparison manner

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR930016796A (ko) 1993-08-30
JP3123754B2 (ja) 2001-01-15
BR9207069A (pt) 1995-12-05
CN1030352C (zh) 1995-11-22
DE69228830T2 (de) 1999-11-25
EP0624258A4 (en) 1994-08-31
KR100299815B1 (ko) 2002-04-24
CA2117421A1 (en) 1993-08-05
EP0624258A1 (en) 1994-11-17
CA2117421C (en) 1998-05-05
WO1993015428A1 (en) 1993-08-05
DE69228830D1 (de) 1999-05-06
CN1075010A (zh) 1993-08-04
JPH07507150A (ja) 1995-08-03
MX9205630A (es) 1994-06-30

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